Needle arresting means for knitting machines



Zj I 3 Zozus 1Y1). Williams.

g- 1931- L. N. D. WILLIAMS 1,817,116

NEEDLE ARRESTING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES IN VEN TOR:

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- Aug.- 4, 1931. N. D. WILLIAMS NEEDLE ARRESTING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed' Jan. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 P n M..."

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L. N. D. WILLIAMS Aug. 4, 1931.

Filed Jan. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z I; M 10 fl I, z

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Aug. 4, 1931.

L. N. D. WILLIAMS NEEDLE ARRESTING MEANS'FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR:

A TTORNEYS Aug. 4, 1931. L. N. D. WILLIAMS NEEDLE ARRESTING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 V INVENTOR: Low ND. BY

ATITORNEYS.

Q) WITNESSES Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS, F OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG'NOR TO SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INCORPORATED, SF NEW YCFJZ, N. Y., A GOBPORATIGN OF MASSACHUSETTS NEEDLE ARRESTING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Application filed January 14, 1829.

This invention relates to arresting means useful with kuittin machines to prevent movement of the needles incidental to trans fer operations.

The manufacture of certain classes of knit wares, for example seamless stockings and the like, entails transfer operations wherein a transfer device with points-ordinarily known as a point ring-is employed to receive the fabric loop for loop from the producing machine to enable placement in other machines for furtherance or completion of the work. Bad or poor transfers often result in the performance of these operations due to lifting of the needles and detention of clinging fabric, loops as the point ring is withdrawn from the knitting machine with consequent strippage of such fabric loops, as well as neighboring ones, from the points of Be said ring.

My present invention is directed toward overcoming the reciteddifliculty through provision of arresting means with a stop element capable of projection into the path of the needles of the knitting machine to prevent them from movin as the point ring is lifted off.

The use of the needle arresting means here in featured is particularly advantageouswith automatic transfer mechanism of thekind disclosed in my copending' application Serial No. 72,483, filled December 1, 1925, the same having, subsequent to the filing of this case, matured as Patent No. 1,715,399, dated July l, 1929, and may be regarded as an alternativ-rv the needle arresting means shown and described in still another application Serial No. 832.498 filed. concurrently herewith.

' In his connection, in the previous instance,

I aim to provide for automatic operation of the needle arresting means incidental to manipulation of the point ring in transferby the mechanism provided for that purpose.

In the drawings, Fig. I shows a fragmentary elevation of a circular knitting machine with automatic transfer mechanism corresponding generally in design to that set forth in the co-pending application, supra, but em- Serial No. 332,494.

bodying the needle arresting means of the present invention in one practical form.

Fig. II is a fragmentary sectional view through the knitting head of the machine with the point ring lowered in readiness to receive the fabric from the needles.

F i -s. III and IV are views, similar to Fig. II, showing successive steps in the transfer operation.

Fig. V is a detail plan section, taken as in dicated by the arrows VV in Fig. I, showing he needle arrestin means in the normal retracted or inactive position.

Fig. VI is a view, similar to Fig. V, taken as indicated by the arrows VIVI in Fig. II, showing the needle arresting means in the advanced or active position.

Fig. VII is a detail sectional view showing means for preventing accidental rotation of the needle cylinder of the knitting machine during fabric transfer.

Figs. VIII, IX and X, are fragmentary sectional views showing an alternative form of my invention.

Vith more detailed reference to the drawings, C designates the cylinder of the knitting machine which is provided with the usual longitudinal surface grooves to support and guide the latch needles N. As shown in Figs. II-IV, the needle cylinder C extends down through an opening in the bed plate 10 of the machine, and at its lower end is secured by screws to a bevel gear 11 which is rotatable in a circular recess of a supplemental bed plate 12. This supplemental bed plate 12 is suitably supported in concentric relation to the main bed plate 10 and spaced from the latter by a vertical interval of suflicient depth to conveniently accommodate the needle arresting means which will. be described later. \Vith the needles N cooperate sinkers S which are supported in a head 13 at the top of a vertically shiftable sleeve 14 that extends axially down through the needle cylinder C. The sleeve 14 is splined to the cylinder C at 15 so as to normally rotate therewith, but connected with capacity for independent rotation to the fabric receiver 16 of the machine, said receiver being slidably engaged in adepending boss 17 of the supplemental bed plate 12. The machine is otherwise of holder 21 for a point ring It. This carrier arm 20 is secured to a shaft 22 withjournal support in a fixed bracket23 upstanding.

from the main bed plate 10 alongside the needle cylinder C, for capacity to swing, from the retracted or loading position of Fig. I, to-azrial position'over said needle cylinder with th points P of the ring Rin registry with the needles N (previously leveled) as in Fig. II. After ring R in the manner just explained, a yoke lever'24 with fulcrum connection' at 25 on the carrier arm 20 depresses said ring, as shown in III, so that the points P thereof enter the loops on the needles N in readinose for transfer of the fabric. The final step in the transfer operation is effected, as shown in Fig. IV, through raising of the sleeve 14- that supports the sinker'head 13, whereby the fabric loops are displaced from the needles N for retainment bythe points P of the ring R, the latter being at the same time restored to its original position in the holder'21 of the carrier arm 20; The various steps in the manipulation of the point ring R during the transfer operation are con tr lled by a ming mechanismwhich is comprehensively designated by the numeral 26. As shown in'F ig. Ithis timing'mechanism coin" ses a drum 27 which'i's adapted to be inter ently picked by a ratchet pawl 28 receiving oscillatory motion through the medium'of a link29 from a suitable moving part (not shown) of the knitting machine. From Fig. Iit will be further observed that near its-upper end the drum 27 has a circumferential cam groove 30 to engage aroller 31 on the end of an arm 32 which is secured to a shaft 33 with journal bearing in a drop braclretfifi bolted to the supplemental bed plate-12. Also secured to the shaft 33 is a toothed sector 36 which meshes with a pinion 3'? fast on the fulcrum shaft 22*.0f the carrier ar1n' 20. Thus, with each rotation of the drum 27,- the carrier arm 20 is automatically swung inward top-lace the point ring It over the needle'cylinder and, afterthe transfer operation, again retracted to the normal position of F ig; I, to withdraw said point Y ringtogethor with the transferred fabric from the needles N of the machine. The drum. 27 has still another circumferential cam groove 38 to engage a stud 39 on an arm 40 that is-secur'ed to aserond shaft 41 jourlacement of the point.

nalled in the. drop bracket 35, and, through these interposed elements, serves to impart movement to a finger 42 in engagement with a notched lug 43 on the fabric receiver 16. The fabric receiver 16 is accordingly shifted upward to the end that the sinker head 13 is raised during transfer in the manner already explained. The drum 27 of the timing mechanism 26 further serves to automatically actuate a push rod 45 for engaging the tail 20a of the carrier arm 20 to hold the latter against displacement when down; and moreover controls the movement of a vertical hook rod 46 which is arranged to engage a pin 47 on the yoke lever 24 in effecting depression of the point ring It within the holder 21 of the carrier arm 20, for a purpose also pointed out hereinbefore. In addition, the timing mechanism 26 governs, through a pivoted finger 48, a spring pressed locking bolt 49 whereby the needle cylinder C is secured against accidental rotation during the transfer period,

said bolt passing down through the bed plates 10, 12 of the machine and engaging the bevel gear 11, as illustrated in Fig. VII. I also show in Figs. II, III and IV, an ejector rod 50, which, at the proper time, thrusts the stocking blank upwardly through the needle cylinder C, the point'ring R, and the axial tubular extension 51 of the holder on the carrier arm 20 to lodge said fabric between opposing spring sustained retaining brushes 52 Fig. I that extend crosswise of the open 'end of saidextension, .Any suitable means may be employed to operate this ejector rod 50,all as shown and explained in thepatcnt and co-pending application above referred to. V i a Coming now to the form of my needle arresting means shown in Figs. IVII, as embodied in an organization such as described up to this point, it will be seen that the same comprises a number of segmental members 55 -Figs. V and VI) which are supported, with capacity for sliding movement, in radial slotsof an annulus 56. secured bymeans of screws 57 to the lower face of the main bed plate 10 in concentric relation to the needle cylinder C. From the segmental-members 55 depend studs 58 (Figs. II-VI) which engage angularlyarranged slots 59 in acam ring 60 whichis' removably retained in the assemblage, by under-reaching angle clips 61 fastened by" screws 62 to the periphery of the annulus 56 at spaced points circumferentially. Through shifting the cam ring .60v clockwise, orin the direction of the arrow in Fig. V, the segmental members 55 are therefore moved inwards simultaneously, their arcuate extent being such that when contact is finally made with the needle cylinder C, they collectively form a continuous circular stop element in the path of the butts 63a of supplemental jacks 63 which occupy the lower portions of the needle grooves in said cylinder. As shown at 64 in Figs. II-IV, the supplemental jacks (33 have hooked engagen'ient with the needles N immediately be low the usual butts of the latter. For actuation of the needle arresting means I rely on a link connection (56 with the gear sector 36. Accordingly, as the sector 36 is operated to bring about lowering of the point ring R onto the needle cylinder C, the segmental members 55 of the needle arresting means are moved into the active position of Figs. II, IV and VI, to hold the needles N against lifting during the subsequent steps of the transfer operation. At the completion of the transfer operation and during reverse actuation of the gear sector 36 to withdraw the point ring It, the segmental members 55 are in a like manner retracted, to the inactive position of Fig. V, so that the normal operation of the machine in knitting a new stocking blank may proceed without interference.

Figs. VIII, IX and X, show an alternative form of my invention in which the use of supplemental jacks is dispensed with. In this instance I permanently secure to the top of the needle cylinder C a collar 70. On this collar 7 O is mounted circular plate 71 which isheld against displacement through lap of its depending circumferential flange 71a over the outer periphery of said. collar.

The inner edge of the circular plate 71 has notches 717) which correspond in number to, and which are normally aligned with the grooves of the cylinder C as shown in Fig.

VIII, for free passage of the needle N incidental to knitting. However, through a slight shift of the circular plate 71 equal to half the distance between notches 717), the tongues 710 intervening said notches are brought over the upper ends of the needle gI'OOVpS in the cylinder C and thus projected laterally into the path of shoulders '72 on the shanks of the needles N. Such shifting of the plate 71 is limited through cooperation of studs 73 (of which but one is shown in Figs. VIII and X) let into the edge of the collar 70, with slots 74 in the flange 71a of said plate. A helical spring 75 in tension between a fixed anchorage 76 on the collar 70 and an eye 77 of the flange 71a acts to maintain the plate 71in the normal position above referred to. Any suitable means may beeinployed in coordination with the timing means 26 of the transfer mechanism to actuate the plate 71 after the cylinder C is locked in position, and before the lift of the sieeve l l, to dislodge the point ring R for emu role, a lever 78 which is rockable about a lixed pivot 79 and equipped with a spring tongue 80 to engage a depending lug 81 of the plate Tl, all as depicted in Figs. VIII and X.

Although I have herein shown and described the needle arresting means of my invention in connection with knitting machines embodying auton atic transfer mechanism, it

can obviously be used with equal advantages on knitting machines not so equipped where the point ring is applied and withdrawn by hand in effecting fabric transfers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Needle arresting means for knitting machines involving transf r mechanism comprising a stop element projectable laterally into the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of the latter incidental to loop transferring operations, and mechanism to actuate the stop element concurrently with withdrawal of fabric from the needles by the transfer device.

2. Needle arresting means for knitting machines including transfer mechanism comprising a stop element projectable into the path of shoulders on the needles to prevent upward movement of the latter incidental to loop transferring operations, and cam controlled mechanism to actuate the stop element simultaneously with raising of the transfer device to withdraw fabric from the needles.

3. Needle arresting means for knitting machines including transfer mechanism com prising a stop element projectable laterally into the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of the latter incidental to loop transferring operations, and mechanism coordinated with the transfer carrier shaft to automatically operate the stop element through rotative action simultaneously with the raising of the transfer device to withdraw fabric from the needles.

4. Needle arresting means for knitting machines including transfer mechanism comprising a stop element projectable into the path of supplemental lateral shoulders on the needles at a level spaced from that of the usual needle butts to prevent upward movement of the needles incidental to loop transferring operations, and cam controlled mechanism to automatically actuate the stop element concurrently with withdrawal of fabric by the transfer device from the needles.

5. Needle arresting means for circular knitting machines including transfer mechanism comprising a number of segmental members capable of radial projection to collectively constitute a continuous annular stop element in the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of the latter incidental to loop transferring operations, and cam controlled gear and link mechanism to automatically actuate the segmental members aforesaid as the transfer device moves away from active relation with said needles in withdrawing fabric therefrom.

6. Needle arresting means for circular knitting machines including transfer mechanism comprising a number of segmental members capable of radial projection to colllil) 'nism comprising a number of segmental members capable of radial projection to collectively constitute a continuous annular stop element in the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of the latter incidental to loop transferring operations, means to support and guide the segmental .members for movement as aforesaid, ccncentric platewith angularly arrangedcam notches to engage projections on said segmental members, and mechanism including a gear sector and link for rotatively shifting said plate to simultaneously move all of the segmental members into active position concurrently with withdra val of fabric from the needles by thetransfer mechanism.

8. Needle arresting means for circular knitting machines including transfer mecha nism comprisingjacks individually associated with the needles of the knitting machine and affording supplemental butts accessible beneath the bed plate surrounding the needle cylinder, a number of segmental v memberscapable of radial projection to collectively constitute a continuous annular stop element'in the path of the jack butts to prevent upward movement of the needles incidental to loop transferring operations, and cam actuated mechanism including a gear sector and link effective to simultaneously move all of the segmentsinto active position incidental to withdrawal of fabric fromithe needles by the transfer mechanism.

9. In a knitting machine embodying a series of needles and a movable carrier means for applying a transfer device to register its points with the needles; needle arresting means comprising a series. of stop elements capable of projection laterally into the path of the needles to prevent'upward movement of said needles incidental'to loop transfer, and coordinative means between the stop elements of the needle arresting means whereby the'latter is actuated concurrently with elevation of the carrier means to withdraw fabric from the needles by the transfer device. r V

10. In a knitting machine with a series of needles and a movable carrier means for applying a transfer-device to register its points with the needles in readiness to receive fabric "from the needles: needle arrestingmeans comprising a stop element capable of projection laterally into the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of said needles under drag of the fabric incidental to trans fer of the latter to the points of the transfer device, and mechanism coordinating ,the needle arresting means with the carrier means aforesaid whereby the stop element is advanced into active position concurrently with application of the transfer device to the needles and retracted upon withdrawal of said transfer device at the completion of the loop transfer.

11. In a knitting machine embodying a series of needles, a pivoted carrier for applying aitransferdevice to register its points with the needles in readiness to receive fabric from the needles, and a gear sector to swing the carrier; needle arresting means comprising a stop element capable of projection laterally into thepath ofthe needles to pre vent upward movement of the needles under drag of the fabric loops incidental to transfer of the latter to the points of the transfer device, and mechanism coordinating the needle arresting means with the gear sector aforesaid whereby the stop element is advanced into active position concurrently with application of the transfer device to the needles and-retracted upon withdrawal of said transfer device after completion of the transfer operation.

12. In a knitting machine embodying a series of needles and automatic transfer mechanism including a pivoted carrier for applying a transfer device to register its points with the needles in readiness to receive fabric from the needles, and timing means for controlling movement of said carrier; needle arresting means comprising a stop element capable of projection laterally into the path of the needles to prevent upward movement of the needles under drag of the fabric loops incidental to transfer of the latter to the points of the transfer device, and means governed by thetiming means of the automatic mechanism aforesaid to actuate the stop element concurrently with application and removal of the transfer device relative to the needles. 7 y

13. In a circular knitting machine embodying a cylinder, with needles and a movable carrier for applying a, transfer ring to register its points with the needles in readiness to receive fabric from said needles; needle arresting means comprising a number of segmental members capable of radial projection to collectively constitute a continous annular stop element in the path of the needles thereby'to prevent upward movement of said needles under drag of the fabric loops incidental to transfer of the latter to the points of the transfer device, actuating means for the segmental members of the needle arresting means, and means coordinating said actuating means with the ring carrier aforesald whereby the segmental members are simultaneously advanced into active position with application of the point ring to the needles and retracted upon Withdrawal of said ring at the completion of the transfer operation.

14. In a circular knitting machine embodying a cylinder with needles, automatic transfer mechanism including a movable carrier for applying a transfer ring to register its points with the needles in readiness to receive the fabric from said needles, and timing means for controlling operation of the carrier; needle arresting means comprising a number of segmental members capable of radial projection to collectively constitute a continuous annular stop element in the path of the needles thereby to prevent upward movement of said needles under drag of the fabric loops incidental to transfer of the latter to the points of the transfer device, and actuating means for the segmental members of the needle arresting means governed by the timing means of the automatic transfer mechanism aforesaid so that the segmental members are simultaneously advanced in active position concurrently with movement of the carrier to apply the point ring to the needles.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 26th day of December, 1928.

LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS. 

